Folding article of furniture



Aug. 16, 1932. w. R. TINGLE 1,871,634

FOLDING ARTICLE OF,FURNITURE I w lyk!) Il# W Illu! /1/ E. TINGLE INVENTOR.

@QM/i12 I y ATTORNEY.

Aug. 16, 1932.

W. IZ, T/NGL E.

V EN T0 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 Unirse STATES WILLIAM R.KTI1\TGLE, vOFcMIORGANJJON, NORTH CAROLINA `lIEOLDINGi ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Application filed December 3, 1930. 'Serial No. 499,794. Y.

This invention relates to a folding table, .and more especially to a table having legs which can `he folded into a position parallel to the' main portion of the table and comprises "f special means for holding the legs in a posi tion where the table can be used, said means also being adapted to hold the legs in folded position.

I am aware that heretofore various tables having folding legshave been in use, but in the majority of these structures the means for holding the legs in folded positionjor in holding them in unfolded position are not positive in their action, thus causing the table to fail to support whatever is placed upon it on account of one or more of the legs moving fromy its adjusted position of support, and as this has been a source of great inconvenience, it is an object of thisinvention to provide automatic means for engaging the table legs when they are unfolded Vto prepare the table for use so as to positively hold the legs in. unfolded position against normal strain, said means being of such a nature as to yield to proper pressureexerted thereon by a person when the legs are desired to be folded so that the holding means may yield to allow the legv to be folded and when said leg has been folded said holding means are ada-ptedtoagain en- V,30 gage the leg to hold the saidlegin folded po-l sltion until manual unfold the legs. c Y

Some of the objects of my invention having been stated other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of my table showing two of the legs in folded position and two of the legs in unfolded position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view looking at one corner of a table, or other article of furniture, showing the leg member in unfolded position.

Figure is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the leg in folded position;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the upper inside portion of one of the legs and showing pressure is applied to the depression or cavity adapted to be en- 501 gaged by the yielding means for holding the leg in folded or closed position, said cavity having a sloping surface;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the portion of the hingewhich is adapted to be se-L cured to the lower side of the top of the table.

Referring more specifically to the drawings,'the numeral l() indicates the top of a table or other article'of furiture, having the supporting members indicated by the refer-` ence character 11 disposed on all four sides of the top and beneath the same andrset inwardly from the top, though it is desired to be understood that these members 11 can be placed iiushwith the edge of the topor in any other position desired as it has no effect on the working of the foldable legs as these legs can be placed on any article of furniture such as chairs and the like, as well as on tables.

Secured to proximate ends of the members 11 at the four corners thereof isthe L-shaped member 12 which is secured to members 11 by means 'of screws 13, and secured to the member 10 Iis a portion of a hinge said portion being indicated by a reference character 14. This member 14 has a plurality of holes 15 therethrough, through which screws 16 are adapted to be passed'and be threaded in the member 10 for holding this portion of the hinge in position. This hinge has a portion 16oz cut out of the member 14 and rolled to form a part of the hinge for connecting the legs thereto. Each of the table legs is indicated by a reference character 17'. andthe top portion of these legs has a metallic member 18 entirely surrounding the same and securely fastened thereon. This member 18 has two portions 19 and 20 cut therefrom on three` sides and these portions are rolled to form the other portion of a hinge in conjunction with portion 16a of member 14 and a pin 21 is passed through portions 19 and 20 and also through portion 16a to liingedly connect leg 17 to member 14 and to the member 10. A member22 issecured to member 11 in close proximity to one end of member 12, and this bers 24:' and 25 and a pin, bolt, or the like indicated by the reference character 27 passes through member portions 24: and 25 and a torsion spring 28 is loosely secured therearound with one end of said torsion spring pressingagainst member 22. Pivotally secured on bolt 2 7 is a member 29 against which the other end 30 of torsion spring 28 presses. This member 29 has anelongated slot '31 therein and another member 32 is provided to have engagement withvmember 29 and a bolt- 33 is passed through slot 31 and through member 32 so that members 29 and 32 may be adjusted'with relation to each other. This member 32 has an inwardly inclined base portion 32 and a square portion 34, said portion 34 being adapted to press against the metallic portion 18 ,of the table leg when the table is ready for use with the legs Vbeing unfolded. The portion 18 and also a portion of the table leg is cut away forminga cavity 35 into which the free end of member 32 is adapted to fit to hold the legs in closed or folded position as shown in Figure 3. Nhen the tablevlegis desired to be unfolded the 3o-action between the edge 36 andthe inclined surface 33 causes themember 32 together with member 29 to be forced outwardly, out of the cavity 35 to allow the leg to be unfolded underpressure and when the leg has reached its full unfolded position then the face portion 34 engages the member 18 on the top of leg l'as shown in Figure 2. Y 1 It is thus seen that L have provided a table having folding legs which are positively held in folded position but said positive holding means are so tensioned as to give way under undue pressure so as to allow the leg to be unfolded and when the legis unfolded and in a position at approximately 90 degrees to the member 10 the holding means jwill again engage a portion of the leg and hold itin its unfolded position with sufiicient force against normal lateral pressure4 so as to pre# '1 vent it from being folded again unless the leg 17 is seized by the operator and pressure applied thereto which will cause the member 32 to be forced out of cavity 35 and the leg will be moved to folded position as shownl inv a portion of Figure 1.`

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of my invention, and although specific terms have been employed, they are used in a1 ge` J neric and descriptive sence only, and not for legs pivotally connected thereto, resilient means secured to said table and being adapted 'to swino into the path traversed by said appended claims.

sociated with said legs having a cavity in the upper end thereof adapted to be automatically engaged by the resilient means to hold the legs in folded position with respect to the table, the resilient means being adapted to slide over said legs` and engage a side of said legs to hold the legs in unfolded position. Y l Y Y 2. Means for foldably securing a leg to a table comprising means for hingedly securing the upper end of theleg to the lower surface of the table top, a dog, means for securing the dog to the table framework for swinging `movement'in a planeparallel to the plane 3. Means for mounting a foldable-le'g. on

a tablecomprising ay shell .secured on the upper end of the leg, means for hingedlysecuringsaid shell to thelower surface'of the table top, a dog member having a hook4 on one end and'beingV pivotally secured at its `Vother' end to the framework of the table, a

torsion spring for forcing said Vdog toward said leg, said'leg and its shell having a cavitytherein inl which the free end ofthe dog is adapted .to rest to hold the leg in folded position, said dog being adapted tol ride out of the said cavity and over the side of the leg and its shell and engage'the side ofthe` leg and its shellto hold the legv in unfoldedk position.v y

fla-Means for foldably securing `legs to'an article of furniture comprisinga rectangular shell member adapted to lit over the upper end of the leg and having a portion cut there?V from on three sides and rolled to form one part-of a hinge, a 'plate member havingtwo separated portions cut therefrom on three sides and rolled'to formanother portiony of member pivotally mounted between said pro.

jections, a torsionrspring normally vforcing the dog against the said shell, said shell and said leg having a cavity .therein in which a said dog is normally pressed by said spring to hold the leg in folded position, said dog being adapted to ride out of the cavity and over said shell and engage the sidev ofthe shell to hold the leg in unfolded position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM n. .TINsLn f legs when they are swung on `their pivot,

means for limiting the inward swinging 

